Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) 

What is ICSI? 

Intracytoplasmic Sperm injection (ICSI) is another highly used technique performed in nearly 70% of IVF cycles in Europe. ICSI is a specialized form of IVF used to treat male factor infertility. ICSI is considered a valuable advancement in infertility treatment taking into account that nearly half of infertility in heterosexual couples is reported to be caused by male factor infertility. Individuals and couples having ICSI treatment undergo the same steps and processes as conventional IVF. The only difference is the method of insemination, where instead of mixing the eggs and sperm in a petri-dish in the lab, the embryologist selects the sperm under a high

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power microscope based on it’s motility, progression and morphology and injects it into the egg with a very fine needle to to bypass many natural barriers to fertilization.  where 

Why is ICSI performed? 

ICSI is often recommended in cases where:

• Male Factor Infertility:  Issues such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormal sperm shape prevent natural fertilization.
• Previous IVF Failures: Couples who have had unsuccessful IVF cycles because very few or no eggs were fertilized with conventional IVF.
• Obstruction: Physical blockages that prevent sperm from being present in the ejaculate, such as vasectomy or congenital absence of the vas deferens.

While ICSI has often shown increased success rate in male-factor infertility treatments, today ICSI can be performed for egg-related issues as well. In some cases, ICSI may be used if eggs are of poor quality or have a thick outer shell, which makes it difficult for sperm to penetrate.

Is ICSI right for you?

It was suggested in the past that ICSI causes abnormalities in the baby. There is a very small element of truth there. ICSI increased the chance of abnormalities in cases where there was severe male factor infertility, and ICSI merely acted as a method of introducing the abnormality in the offspring, but was also the only way the couple can conceive. ICSI also has a 5-10% chance of degenerating the eggs. It is always worth discussing these risks (and any risks for that matter) with your clinic to be fully informed before going ahead with any procedure. Please note that in some countries, ICSI is the ONLY method used for fertilisation, due to clinicians and patients wanting to maximise the yield of fertilised embryos.

myfertility’s take on ICSI

More ICSI is performed that conventional IVF, not jut because of male infertility being on the rise, but because of patients and clinics wanting to maximise the yield of embryos available to them. As this procedure has become synonymous with fertility treatment since it’s breaktrhough a few decades ago, we see it as a normal part of treatment, albeit a bit overprescribed over conventional IVF. 

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It's important to consult with a fertility specialist to determine the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation. 

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If you want to learn more about the best fertility clinics for you, and which clinics do these treatments, be sure to check out our clinic finder and clinic matcher. We built these tools to help you find and match with IVF clinics and fertility specialists near you, and filter through them all based on their success rates, prices, patient reviews, technologies and support services offered. 

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Find low cost IVF near you and top fertility clinics near you, and get a breakdown of all the hidden IVF costs and what to look our for. You can also join the myfertility circle on slack and chat with with other patients going through their fertility journey and our team of dedicated and experienced experts. Being well-informed about your fertility treatment options can significantly improve your infertility treatment journey.

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